Netherlands Pulls out of Urenco

THE HAGUE, 24/05/13 - The Dutch government wishes to sell its interest in URENCO, which provides uranium enrichment services for nuclear power producers, the cabinet announced on Thursday. The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and German energy companies RWE and E.ON all hold one third of the shares in URENCO. All shareholders but the Dutch government had already spoken out earlier for divesting their shares. "The sale of the Dutch shares in URENCO can only take place, when the public interest in terms of non-proliferation, nuclear safety and supply security has been effectively safeguarded," the cabinet stated on Thursday. "Currently the Netherlands is discussing (the sale) with treaty partners Germany and the British government and with the other shareholders."

"The Dutch government’s intention arises from expected changes in the share ownership of the company. (...) A possible sale by the other two fellow shareholders to, most likely, private parties could lead to a situation in which there is no longer a majority of public shareholders. The cabinet holds the view that such a position is undesirable."